Hitchin has long been used as an alluring setting by television companies - with another well-known known place in our town set to become recognised across the land.

The view from the top of Windmill Hill is set to become a household image on the BBC, after cameras filmed the picturesque spot for a short slot that is set to be used hundreds, if not thousands of times over the next few years.

Residents of the area around Windmill Hill were excited to see a small army of vehicles arrive and set up an encampment at the top of our town's iconic rise, for a few days of filming last September.

One series of these 'Idents' – shorthand for station identity – was shot here, called 'Benches', with BBC One short films having now unveiled the reel that will be aired many hundreds of times on national TV over the coming years.

The impressively large HD film camera mounted on the track was moved back and forth as various different groups of actors repeated their scenes, walking around the bench and down the hill.

Over several days different benches and actors were filmed with different types of weather and lighting, ending up with heavy rain simulated for late night filming with a young man and his dog walking up and down the hill many times to get the shot right.

The many vehicles parked along the road, which begins by the Hitchin Girls' School entrance, made access for residents of the few houses at the top of the hill difficult, but their interest in the proceedings and the gift of a few bottles of wine helped to ease the inconvenience.

Hitchin on TV

Hertfordshire is well known as a film production centre with Leavesden studios of Harry Potter fame and films set in Letchworth and Stevenage, but Hitchin seems to be shaping up to be a popular location for TV as well as film makers.

The viewpoint from Windmill Hill looking down onto our town is popular with all ages.

The south side of the hill gives a broad perspective of the surrounding hills, houses tumbling down the side of Hollow Lane, and the town is laid out below with the Corn Exchange and St Mary's Church clearly visible.

This spot was also used for scenes in the filming of Dr Foster, another BBC production here a few years ago.

The crew for Dr Foster used St Mary's as a base for operations then, with filming also continuing late into the night. The market square and Churchyard have been used in several shoots for ads in recent times, and St Mary's is to feature in a forthcoming Bollywood production.

Hitchin residents will also be delighted to recognise their familiar landmarks featured on TV, paired with favourite shows like 'Antiques Roadshow' as a background for announcers to introduce viewers to a expect a treat coming up next.

Maybe we will see tourists coming to see the view for themselves, and discover the charms of our town.

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